Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Winning The Game? Use The Scoreboards


No matter what sporting event you enjoy, a scoreboard is often used to determine if the contestants are making progress towards their goal and to eventually identify the winner of the contest. 

In sales the winning results that we desire are sometimes far in the future.  With this in mind, my suggestion is to create an “Action Scoreboard” to demonstrate and measure progress toward your goal.  Here is how it works in my business coaching company:

Keeping Score with The “Action Scoreboard”

My goals include securing individual and group coaching assignments, team workshops, speaking engagements, and executive retreats.   Since the achievement of these goals is often a multiple-step process, I have broken the objectives down into a listing of some of the fundamental behaviors that I often take to produce these results.  Each action item is given a point value and I track the totals on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.

My experience is that there is a high correlation between the level of action being taken and the outcomes that are achieved.

The Point System

One point actions include warm prospect calls, Linked in connections, writing a focused email message to a prospect or center of influence, researching an individual or company, or getting a business card from a prospect for follow up.

Two point actions include attending networking events, hot prospect calls, attending a business seminar, and giving or getting a qualified business referral.

Five point actions include setting a one on one new client discovery session, scheduling a presentation or speech, attending a business trade show, participating on a board of directors,  and meeting with a center of influence.

Ten Point actions Actual face to face meetings including meetings over a meal or a cup of coffee with a qualified prospect.   

Twenty point actions include securing an engagement.  Feel free to add extra points based on the size of engagement.

What a Typical Day May Look Like
  • 6 phone calls to warm prospects= 6 points 
  • 4 linked in connections= 4 points 
  • 1 discovery meeting with a viable prospect= 10 points 
  • Giving 2 referrals and getting one referral= 6 points 
  • Scheduling a speech on networking for a local business group= 5 points 
  • 8 follow-up e-mail messages and 6 follow up phone calls= 14 points 
  • Securing a business coaching assignment with an attorney who wants to make partner and increase their business development success = 20 points
Total= 65 points 

My challenge to you is for you to create your own game and point system that will allow you to act your way to better results.

Please let me know how Scoreboard Tracking helps you to achieve your personal and professional goals by contacting me at www.dempcoaching.com

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Your Social Capital - The Power of Focus

2011 is going to be a year of tremendous focus in my business.  I have decided to put the old 80/20 rule on steroids by focusing 99% of my efforts on the top 1% of my professional relationships to take things to a new level.

In the book the Tipping Point, Macomb Gladwell introduces us to three kind of people, the Connector, the Maven, and the Salesman.  Each of these people and their associated characteristic provides considerable impact and influence in their communities to have a “tipping point” impact on the world.

My plan is to focus on selected relationships that meet the following criteria:
  • Do these people have a very high level of influence with others?
  • Do they possess strengths or capabilities in my areas of weakness?
  • Can they or have they already added value to me professionally or personally?
  • Do these people share my values and vision for the future?
  • Are these people more concerned with leading a life of significance and not just success?
  • Do these people believe in the premise that givers gain?
  • Would I enjoy having an extended dinner with them?
How would your professional and personal life be different this year if you focused on these “tipping point” relationships? 

Drop me a quick note and let me know your thoughts at www.dempcoaching.com.